At the awards ceremony of the 2013 edition of the Huairasinchi Adventure Race, Race Director Santiago Lopez announced to the audience the exciting news that Ecuador would be hosting the Adventure Racing World Championship in December 2014.
Ecuador’s capital city, Quito, will serve as the race headquarters where the world’s best adventure racing athletes will meet and prepare for an epic adventure race. The event will show the country’s most beautiful and diverse terrain.
Santiago Lopez, race director, describes his reaction to the news: “After eleven editions, HUAIRASINCHI has become firmly entrenched in the definition of adventure here in Ecuador. We know that we will be able to host a race like none seen before. Athletes will experience all Ecuador has to offer, including the Amazon, the Andes, and the Pacific Coast, running along the middle of the world, latitude 0º.
Quito will serve as the race’s headquarters, offering athletes unparalleled opportunities in comfort, adventure, history, gastronomy, and culture. Quito is the gateway to all of Ecuador; It is a modern and cosmopolitan city that offers travelers an inside view of Ecuadorian culture. Quito was also the first World Heritage Site and is renowned for its historic Old Town, with its art, churches, and architecture. It is a city surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, and in fact it sits at the base of the highly active Pichincha volcano. And Quito’s brand new airport, opening this month, will offer new, direct flights from important cities around the world.
Craig Bycroft, Director of the Adventure Racing World Series, ARWS, said: “The HUAIRASINCHI race has an excellent international reputation. Ecuador will provide a unique and diverse landscape for a true expedition world championship.”
The AR World Series unites in competition the worlds best endurance athletes at premiere Qualifier events around the globe. The top two teams at each of these races gain a coveted position on the start line of the annual pinnacle of the sport, the AR World Championship.
Read the Spanish version of this article here.